Electric switch



J. L. HORNIG- ELECTRIC SWITCH.

(No Model.)

Illlillllllllllllllllllll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS L. HORNIG, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,760, datedSeptember 1, 1896.

Application filed February 26,1896. Serial No. 580,890. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JULiUs L. HORNIG, of the city of St. Louis, State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectricSwitches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart hereof.

My invention relates to an improved electric switch; and it consists inthe novel construction, combination, and arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through thecenter of my improved switch. Fig. 2 is avertical transverse sectionalview of my improved switch. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the switch.Fig. 4 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of anoperating-handle used in my improved switch. Fig. 6 is a side elevationof a disk carryingv contact plates.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, a single block ofinsulating material 47 is constructed with vertical side walls 48 andperforated ears 49. Bolts 50 pass through said perforated ears 49 andthrough a suitable base 51.

Formed in the center of the block 47 is a recess 52, in which is mountedfor rotation a disk 53,that is constructed with integral trunnions 54,that extend through the walls 48. Located upon that trunnion 54 thatpasses through the front wall 48 is a crank-handle 55, constructed withan integral downwardlypending portion 56, having an aperture 57 therein.Formed integral with the inner face of the crank-handle 55, adjacent theupper end thereof is a lug or projection 58. A segment 59 is arrangedupon the face of the front wall 48,and upon said segmentrides the outerend of the crank-handle 55. Said segment is provided at its center andboth ends with apertures 60, in which the lug or projection 58 isadapted to engage. A retractile coilspring 6l is secured in the aperture57 in the projection 56, and to one side of the front wall 48. Passingthrough the disk 53 in such a manner as that their ends will appear uponthe periphery of said disk at slight distances apart are metallic plates62, and said plates lie in parallel vertical planes with each other butat right angles.

A shield 63 is attached to the block 47 directly above the disk 53 andbetween the lower ends of the brushes 66. This shield is preferablycomposed of mica, but may be made of any equivalent elasticnon-conducting inaterial and presses yieldingly against the periphery ofthe disk 53, and its object is to prevent the carrying of sparks by theperiphery of the disk from one brush to the other while the disk withoutacting to prevent ready ro-l tation of the disk.

Brushes 64 extend vertically downward through the block 47, the lowerends of which ride directly'upon the periphery of the disk 53, therebeing one pair of these brushes for each of the plates 62, These brushes64 are held in brush-holders 65, that are provided with tension devices66.

Extending upwardly through one side of each block 47 is a pair of rods67, the lower ends of which are screw-threaded, and located upon saidlower ends and held thereto is a transversely-arranged metallic bar 68,with which a suitable conductor 69 connects. Suitable conductors 70connect the upper ends of these rods 67 with the brush-holders 65 on oneside of the block 47. Located in the opposite end of the block 47 is apair of rectangular plates 71, lwith the upper ends of which the ends ofsuitable conductors 7 2 are connected that lead to the remaining pair.of of brush-holders. To the other ends of these plates 7l are securedthe ends of suitable conductors 73.

The operation is as follows: The conductorplates 62 are so arranged inthe disk 53 as that when the front one of said plates 62 occupies ahorizontal plane, as shown in Fig. l, the same will be in connectionwith the front pair of the brushes 64. Wien said conductor-plates 62 arein this position, the crankhandle is in the position as shown in Fig. 3,the lug 58 on said crank-handle being in the right-hand aperture GO inthe segment 59. The left-hand brush of each pair of the brushes 64 areconstantly connected with the IOO 2 seefzee conductor 69 through thehorizontal plate G8, the rods 67, and the conductors 70. lVhen thecrank-handle 55 is arranged with the lu g 5S in the right-hand aperture60 of the segment 59, as shown in Fig. 3, the current passes from theconductor 69 through the end of the horizontal bar G8, up the front rod67, through the Jfront conductor 70, through the brushholder 65, throughthe left-hand brush G-i oi the front pair of the brushes 64, through thefront conductor-plate 62, through the lefthand brush Get of the frontpair of brushes, through the right-hand brush-holder G5 of the frontpair of brush-holders, through the front conductor 7:2, and through thefront rectangular plate 71 to the front conductor 7 3. lVhen thecrank-handle 55 is in a vertical position and the lug 58 is in thecenter one of the apertures GO in the segment 59, neither one of theconductor-plates G2 will be in contact with the brushes and the currentis closed. lVhen the crank-handle 55 is positioned so that the lug 58 isin the left-hand one of the apertures 60 in the segment 59, the rear oneof the conductor-plates G2 connects the ends of the rear pair of brushesGet and then the current passes from the conductor (S9 through thehorizontal bar G8 to the rear one of the rods 67, through the rear oneof the conductors 70, through the rear one of the left-handbrush-holders 65, through the rear one of the left-hand brushes 64,through the rear conductor-plate (32, through the rear right-hand brush(3f-lf, through the rear righthand brush-holder 65, through the rearconductor 7 2, and through the rear rectangular plate 7l to the rearconductor 7 3.

A switch of my improved construction is simple, inexpensive, verycompact, is positive in action, and very eflicient in use.

l claiml. In an improved switch, a suitable block, a disk mounted forrotation within said block, a spring-actuated handle for rotating saiddisk, means for holding said handle in a set position, conductor-platesarranged in said disk at right angles to each other, brushholdersarranged above said block, suitable tension devices for said brushholders, brushes passing vertically through said brushholders, the lowerends thereof engaging upon the periphery of the disk and adapted tocontactw ith the ends of the conductor-plates, suitable connections fromtwo of said brushholders to a single conductor,and suit-able connectionsleading from the remaining brush-holders.

2. In an improved switch, a block of insulating material, a disk ofinsulating material mounted for rotation within said block, aspring-actuatedhandle for rotating said disk, a lug on said handle, asegment adjacent said handle and having apertures to be engaged by saidlug to hold said handle in a set position, conductor-plates arranged insaid disk at right angles to each other, brush-holders arranged abovesaid block, brushes carried by said brush-holders and arranged to havetheir lower ends engage the periphery of said disk in such a way thatwhen one of said conductor-plates is in a horizontal position it willconnect the ends of apairof said brushes, all the brushes on one side ofsaid disk being connected to a single conductor and each of the brusheson the opposite side of said disk being connected to a conductorindependent of each of the other brushes.

3. In an improved switch, a rotating disk, conductor-plates passingthrough said disk and a spark-arrester consisting of non-conductingelastic material so positioned as to engage yieldingly against theperiphery of said disk, substantially as specified.

4:. ln an improved switch, a suitable block, a disk mounted for rotationwithin said block, a spark-arrester consisting of non-eonduetin gelastic material so positioned as to engage yieldingly against theperiphery oi' the disk between the points of Contact between the diskand the brushes, a spring-actuated liandle for rotating said disk, meansfor holding said handle inaset position, conductor-plates arranged insaid disk at right angles to each other, brush-holders arranged abovesaid block, suitable tension devices for said brushholders, brushespassing vertically through said brush-holders, the lower ends thereofengaging upon the periphery of the disk and adapted to contact with theends of the conductor-plates, suitable connections from two of saidbrush-holders to a single conductor, and suitable connections leadingfrom the remainin g brush-holders.

5. In an improved switch, a block of insulatin g material, a disk ofinsulating material mounted for rotation within said block, aspark-arrester consisting of non-conducting elastic material sopositioned as to engage yieldingly against the periphery of the diskbetween the points of contact between the disk and the brushes, aspring-actuated handle for rotating said disk, a lug on said handle, asegment adjacent said handle and having apertures to be engaged by saidlug to hold said handle in a set position, conductorplates arranged insaid disk at right angles to each other, brush-holders arranged abovesaid block, brushes carried by said brushholders and arranged to havetheir lower ends engage the periphery of said disk in such a way thatwhen one oi' said conductor-plates is in a horizontal position it willconnect the ends of apairof said brushes, all the brushes on one side ofsaid disk being connected to a single conductor and each of the brusheson the opposite side of said diskbeingconneeted to a conductorindependent of each of the other brushes.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JULIUS L. IIORNIG. vWitnesses M. P. SMITH, MAUD GRIFFIN.

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